Kevorkian Loses Supreme Court Appeal

Monday November 1, 2004 3:31 PM

WASHINGTON (AP) – Assisted suicide advocate Jack Kevorkian lost a
Supreme Court appeal on Monday in his bid to win freedom after five
years in prison.

Justices, without comment, turned back an appeal in which Kevorkian
claimed he had an ineffective attorney when he was convicted of
second-degree murder in the 1998 poisoning of Thomas Youk. Youk had
Lou Gehrig’s disease, and Kevorkian called it a mercy killing. The
death was videotaped and shown on national television.

The Supreme Court had also turned back an appeal from Kevorkian two
years ago that claimed his prosecution was unconstitutional.

Kevorkian has said he assisted in at least 130 deaths, but has
promised in affidavits that he will not aid in more suicides if he is
released. He could be eligible for parole in 2007.

The case is Kevorkian v. Warren, 04-380.